India Star "Should've Played From 1st Test": Gautam Gambhir Told In Blunt Analysis
Former India coach Sanjay Bangar has called out one glaring mistake that the team has made right from the start of the England Test series.
- Kuldeep Yadav has continued to warm the bench since the start of the England Test series
- Ex India coach Sanjay Bangar said: "Kuldeep Yadav should have played from the first Test itself"
- Washington Sundar's performance at Lord's has further complicated Kuldeep's selection
Under a young captain like Shubman Gill, Team India has shown amazing grit and passion to take England head-on in the three Tests so far. However, there remain fine details which have continued to hurt the touring side. Many experts feel that the team management should've picked spinner Kuldeep Yadav right from the beginning of the series, considering the conditions and the type of batters England have. Even ahead of the 4th Test in Manchester, there's no update on Kuldeep's potential selection, a fact that former India coach Sanjay Bangar isn't happy with.
In a chat with JioStar, Bangar gave a blunt analysis, saying the Gautam Gambhir-led team management should've had the wrist-spinner in the team since the beginning. Now, ahead of the 4th Test in Manchester, the situation becomes tricky.
"If India had read the conditions correctly, Kuldeep Yadav should have played from the first Test itself. Now, since he hasn't featured in any of the matches and the players who've played in his place have done well, it becomes tricky. Washington Sundar, for instance, played a key role in bringing India back into the contest at Lord's with his four-wicket haul - it's hard to leave someone like that out of the playing XI. If Kuldeep is brought in to bat at No. 7, it could compromise the team's desired batting depth. I see Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar playing alongside the three main pacers," Bangar said.
Bangar also shared his views on the Prasidh Krishna vs Anshul Kamboj selection dilemma, saying the former is expected to pip the latter in the race for the third pacer.
"It is going to be a tough call for Shubman and Gautam Gambhir to pick between Prasidh and Anshul. That's probably the reason they've delayed the decision right up to the start of the Test match. I believe Prasidh has done enough, and in the next Test match, you need a bowler who can extract bounce from that Manchester track. I feel Prasidh is slightly ahead of Anshul for this particular Test. He challenges the batters in a different way - and let's not forget, he has picked up important wickets as well. Yes, he has been expensive, but where there is pace, there is bounce - both in this Test match and the next. So it would be good if Prasidh plays back-to-back games.
"That will mean that, at the end of the series, there will be clarity on Prasidh Krishna - whether he can be a regular Test match bowler. But if you don't play him now and wait till the Oval, you can never really make up your mind about where he stands in terms of the team's plans. If he has the experience and has already been picked for a number of Test matches, it would suit the team's direction better to let him play both games - so that the team can draw inferences at the end of the series."
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Gautam Gambhir
Kuldeep Yadav